Receiving the Spirit by the Hearing of Faith

“O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you. This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith” (Gal. 3:1-2)?

What we learn from this scripture:

• Christ crucified must be the subject of every sermon. He was “evidently set forth crucified among” these Gentiles when Paul preached to them.
• The Gospel of Christ and Him crucified is the wisdom and power of God to salvation (Rom. 1:16; 1 Cor. 1:24; Rom. 10:17). Hearing the Gospel of Christ is God’s power to salvation to everyone to whom He grants “the hearing of faith.”
• In the preaching of Christ and Him crucified, God pours out His Spirit on those He ordained to eternal life that they might believe Christ and live to God by Him (Acts 13:48; Heb. 10:38 - the just shall live by faith).
• Christ and Him crucified is the object of our faith. He is held up to us in the Gospel that we might see Him with God-given, believing eyes (John 12:32; Isa. 45:22-24; 1 Cor. 1:17-1 Cor. 2:2; 4:6; 5:7). God-given faith looks to Christ and rests in Christ. When we hear the Gospel, by the grace of God, we believe in Him who was crucified (Acts 18:27). We believe He accomplished all that God said He accomplished by His death. We believe He obtained our eternal redemption (Heb. 9:12), that He made full remission of our sins (Heb. 10:17-18), that He secured our eternal inheritance (Heb. 9:15), that He established our everlasting righteousness (Heb. 10:4), that He is now enthroned as Lord over all (Heb. 1:3; 8:1; 10:12-14). In so hearing, the Spirit of God sprinkles our conscience with the blood of His Son (Heb. 9:13-14). He gives to us His own Holy Spirit (Ezek. 36:25-27; Gal. 3:2).
• To believe Christ is to obey the truth (1 Cor. 16:26; 1 John 3:23; Rom. 1:4).
• To add something to Christ to be saved, either for justification or sanctification, is to disobey the truth and the One set forth by that truth who is preached in the Gospel (2 John 2:7-9).
• By the Spirit of God, we honor Christ in believing. We honor Him in whose hand our eternal salvation and life rests (Rom. 4:20; Rom. 8:28). We honor Him who gave Himself for us to save us from our sins. And we love Him because, by His Spirit, He who gave Himself for us, gives Himself to us (John 6:56). By faith, we receive His righteousness as our own (1 John 4:19; Luke 7:47; Rom. 10:4).

• All power and glory belong to Christ who sits on the throne of heaven because by Himself, He purged our sins (Heb. 1:3; Matt. 28:18; John 3:35; 13:3; 16:15; Heb. 1:2). From that throne, the Son of God, our Mediator, gives to us His Holy Spirit (John 16:7). The gift of the Spirit of God is not the result of our own personal obedience; it is not of works. Christ gives His Spirit to sinners out of His grace (John 7:39). He gives His Spirit because He paid the price of our redemption (Gal. 3:13-14; 4:4-6).
  
  

Rick Warta